Dr Jane Goodall returned to Kristin on Monday 27th of May, eight years after her first visit in 2011. Hosting Dr Jane, 85 years of age and named one of the 100 most influential people on the planet by Time Magazine, was an immense honour. Kristin is one of the few schools in New Zealand to have a Roots and Shoots club and our strong service programme made us the perfect place for Dr Jane to share her message of hope during her 2019 ‘Rewind The Future’ tour.
“What was the defining moment, when you stopped focussing your life on Gombe chimpanzee research and began dedicating your time to Roots and Shoots?” asked a Year 12 student during a Q&A session with Dr Jane as part of her visit. More thqan 40 students, from eight different schools, participated in a one-hour workshop, exploring the challenges of making positive changes in our local communities.
Dr Jane listened and shared her own experience of trying to improve the conditions of captive chimpanzees and helping African communities protect forests around primate sanctuaries. Everyone was mesmerised as she talked about influencing world leaders and working collaboratively with others to get things done. Year 13 student Samantha Dixon helped organise the workshop and said, “Dr Jane was captivating and her energy inspiring. To gain insight into such an incredible mind and life is a once in a lifetime opportunity”.
Another highlight was Dr Jane’s bush walk, with selected Year 5 students, in our nearly created Lucas Creek track. As they walked, the children shared interesting facts about our local biodiversity which they had learned as part of their conservation unit this term.
Together they planted kotukutuku trees and Dr Jane unveiled two wooden plaques with her inspiring, world-renowned conservation messages and Te Reo translations. Year 5 student Holly MacKay said, “It was amazing planting trees with Dr Jane Goodall. She has a tradition of kissing the leaves of each tree she plants and we did this together. Never in my wildest dreams had I ever imagined I would get this opportunity”.
Finally, after a busy afternoon, Dr Jane entered a jam-packed auditorium where more than 1000 people were eagerly anticipating her presentation. Teachers and students from all over Auckland were invited to this free event, to promote the development of more Roots and Shoots clubs in the wider community. Dr Jane shared stories of her amazing life in Africa and her reasons for hope today, the conservation work young people are doing all over the world. She inspired all who attended and received a well-deserved standing ovation. Azaria Eddy (Year 10) said, “Being a part of the crowd that attended Dr Jane Goodall's talk was incredible; being there was out of this world”.
Students from our invited schools all had a few minutes on stage to share highlights of their action projects including stream restoration, art for peace, beach clean ups, social enterprises, volunteering in the Pacific and educating primary school children about endangered species. These all gave the audience a sense of just how dedicated our youth are to building a better future for the planet. It was a wonderful end to a very special day.
Dr Jane Goodall’s visit will have a lasting impact on the Kristin community. She shared her wisdom and grace and we are all inspired by her message: ‘Every individual matters, every individual makes a difference.'
- Sarah Wakeford - Service Learning Coordinator
Kristin School wins Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Challenge
Kristin School took out the top honours in the Reserve Bank of New Zealand's 2019 Monetary Policy Challenge. Designed to expand students’ understanding and appreciation of monetary policy, the Monetary Policy Challenge is a competition organised by the Reserve Bank since 2002. This year, 32 schools from across New Zealand participated and presented their monetary policy and Official Cash Rate decisions through video submissions. Teams took into consideration the changes to the Reserve Bank’s monetary policy mandate - which now requires maximum sustainable employment to be considered alongside price stability.
Six teams were selected as finalists and discussed their presentations with the judging panel, composed of Reserve Bank economists Evelyn Truong and Jamie Culling, and Assistant Governor and General Manager of Economics, Financial Markets, and Banking Christian Hawkesby.
“Overall, we were impressed with how the six finalists demonstrated their knowledge of economic concepts. Kristin School particularly stood out as they characterised a sound understanding and in-depth research of various factors relevant to monetary policy. Their presentation had solid framework and structure. The students also worked exceptionally well together in answering some very tough questions,” Mr Hawkesby said.
Kristin is the first school in New Zealand to have won the title three times. The school also won in 2017 and 2010. This year’s winning team members were students Jonty Grant, Joshua Heatley, Finn McClellan, Phoebe McKellar and Jaqlin Van Schalkwyk who were mentored by economics teacher Mr John Osborne. Well done team!
The team received $2500 in prize money for Kristin School and each team member also received prizes worth $500. They will also visit the Reserve Bank in Wellington to watch the Monetary Policy Statement media conference on August 7th. The students will have a full day of learning how economic theory is put into practice as they meet with Governor Adrian Orr, members of the Monetary Policy Committee, and senior decision-makers.
“These young economists… show great potential,” Mr Hawkesby said. “They’ve been guided well by their teachers and all their preparation and research came through during their presentations.”
Confidence
It’s an attribute we all want our children to develop. We know how essential having confidence is in enabling anyone to make the most of the opportunities available to them, and to take the steps needed to follow their dreams. However, what is less clear is how to achieve this confidence.
At Kristin we know that a crucial component of self-confidence comes from being secure in your identity; understanding who you are. Building a strong sense of self involves spending time reflecting on the influences that have made you who you are. Exploring the different cultural influences you have gained from your family is an important part of both our curriculum and our calendar of events. Recently students participated in a variety of cultural performances at International Peace Night and the Junior School International Day parade and assembly. These celebrations were about the joys surrounding different cultural ideals, beliefs and histories. The students shared languages, customs, costumes, music and dance. They revelled in the opportunity to explore all that has contributed to making them who they are. Just as importantly, they learnt to value cultural diversity and celebrate what each one of us contributes to our community.
Children who grow up secure in themselves and proud of who they are have the inner confidence to go out into the world and lead the way forward for a very hopeful future. Providing an environment where children are actively encouraged and supported to explore and celebrate their cultural heritage grows this confidence.
